


Lamb

by DennisCrumb



Category: Split (2016)
Genre: Age Difference, Angst, Belts, Coercion, Dubious Consent, F/M, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Loss of Virginity, Manipulation, Non-Suicidal Self Injury, Pre-Split, Sexual Content, Spanking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-30
Updated: 2017-04-30
Packaged: 2018-10-25 14:55:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10766559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DennisCrumb/pseuds/DennisCrumb
Summary: 'We must trust each other.’ Patricia gives Dennis a knowing look as she smooths down Hedwig’s curly hair. 'I have a gift for you, Dennis. Think of it as a sign of good faith.’'Don’t need it,’ Dennis says flatly.





	Lamb

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to http://screwedupbutthatsallright.tumblr.com/ for contributing to this fic, wouldn't have did it without them!
> 
> I haven't updated my other fics in a while. Life came up. I'm working on it! Hope you guys enjoy this little warm-up fic while I'm working on my other two! <3

Barry is having a particularly stressful day at work. It all had started this morning when briefing had dragged because two of the new officers were late, this added on the the fact that their supervisor was on their asses because of a mauling that had occured at a smaller park.

 _This_ park has been crowded all week due to students being out for Spring Break, and there was a spike in tourists who had arrived to see their new baby gorilla who was “fucking adorable,” in Jade’s own words. Barry had helped with the delivery and she'd shared that experience with him, such miracles was one of the perks when you’ve been here as long as him. But everyone was on high alert and more snappy than usual lately. Barry's own good mood was slowly dissipating as the week dredged on. Between the fights breaking out in lines, teens leaning over the railings and throwing food in the open attractions, and the numerous medical emergencies over the sun beating down his back he was on edge. And to top it all off, he now has to deal with yet another disturbance over a _slow line_.

Barry hops on his bike and straps on his helmet and expertly weaves through the dense crowd to arrive at his destination.

This job was a dream that he wouldn’t trade for anything in the world. He _loves_ it here - the system _loves_ it here. Everyday brought something new and exciting, it got them up and about, and whenever he needed a boost there was someone to talk to. But between the external and internal struggles lately Barry needs a moment to breathe. To step away from it all and gather himself. There was an incident in the system that has upset some of the littles and they won't really talk about it. He knows it has to do with Patricia although the woman is mostly avoided by the others after being banned from the Light. It scares him how much power the woman has over the system. Barry knows the recent mess has to do with The Beast and that Hedwig - the little troublemaker - was somehow involved. It frustrates him how the woman preaches constantly about protecting Kevin when Patricia was a remnant of his past, she was manipulative and condescending and no longer needed, they had to move forward in their thinking.

Barry and the others who take the Light have been blacking out lately and losing time. Hedwig’s drawings would be scattered everywhere during some of these incidents. This monster Patricia has conjured to eat who she deems unworthy has poisoned the boy's mind. They were disturbing and he'd taken a few of Hedwig's artwork to show Dr. Fletcher. Barry didn't know when Patricia had caught the boy's attention and drove him away from him, he knows he's been having problems lately and didn't like to be told what to do. And he feels like they're up to something.

Arriving at the food truck, Barry is met with a red faced woman who apparently needs a funnel cake right this second. A damn funnel cake. She’s yelling at someone inside the truck and banging on the closed window much to the anger of the other customers.

Barry drops his helmet on the handlebar and storms over with a forced smile. “Ma'am, what seems to be the problem here.”

“Officer, this woman and her friend cut in line in front of me and several others!” a pregnant woman speaks up. A few others chime in and Barry has to gesture for them to calm down.

“I paid good money to get in here!” the teen - blonde hair pulled into two long braids in an jumpsuit - whose doing all the disturbance says. "I’ve been standing in this line for eight whole fucking minutes and it’s barely moved!”

Barry refrains from rolling his eyes. There's always that person who thinks they're going to get special treatment when everyone had paid for the same service. Normally, Barry would shut people like this down before they could even properly get fired up but this appears to be a special case.

Barry nods his head to the truck. “Why is the window closed?”

“This chick was yelling and threatening this poor kid in there, she’s doing the best she can. Two other people left her in there a few minutes ago.” a guy with dreads speaks up.

The teen begins banging on the truck again. “Open up, you stupid bitch! You have fucking paying customers out here!”

“ _Hey_!” Barry snaps. “ _Enough_.”

"Don't talk to my daughter like that," a brunette woman yells back, her pale face reddening considerably.

By this point not only do they have the line’s attention but a dozen other park attendees passing by.

"Can you just take your crazy daughter and  _go_ ," the pregnant woman sighs. "There are _children_ here."

“You can go to hell!” the teen moves towards her.

That was the last straw. Barry quickly moves to shield the woman and brings his hand up against the raging brunette. “You need to step out of line and come with me,” Barry orders her, tone brokering no further argument on the matter.

“I’m not going anywhere,” she sneers.

Barry unclips his walkie from his belt with a heavy sigh. “This is Crumb, responding to disturbance at the food truck on Treetop Trail, I need backup-”

To his surprise, the _mother_ darts forward and attempts to grab his walkie Barry swerves back. He’s never dealt with a park attendee that was physically hostile, although there are protocols in place he can’t remember a single one in this moment. A few customers seem ready to come to his aid but he puts a hand out, not wanting anyone to get injured. 

“ _Back_. _Off_ ,” Barry demands the woman as he holds the walkie behind him. He wasn't letting it show but he was feeling very small in that moment, the brunette in front of him morphing into Kevin's mother. He shakes his head of the thought but can't calm his rapidly beating heart. Barry was tired, running around 42 acres in dense crowds to arrive on scene for several hours would do that to you.

The mother shoves him and it barely moves him, but suddenly he’s not a grown man at a park trying to do his job but a teenager whose getting ridiculed because of his clothing choices by a nasty, old woman.

That’s when he feels Dennis’ presence getting stronger by the second. Barry can handle one irate woman and her teenage brat- he _knows_ he can. He's not certain if he should fight to remain in the Light instead of letting Dennis take charge. He's seen the man talking with Patricia more than once. But already upset by the terrible ordeal piled onto this crappy day he has no choice but to let the man take over and do his job just as the woman goes to hit him again.

 

***

 

Their world is in crisis, more than usual. Apparently, Barry is in an physical altercation and that means it's Dennis time to step up. He stops beside Patricia on the way to the train yard and they share a look.

"Now is the time," she says. She places a delicate hand on his arm, squeezes, and she's stronger than she looks. "Dennis, you must take the light now."

"Time? I'm not sure what you need me to do. And you told me I was going to meet this Beast of yours before I agreed to anything, Patricia."

Patricia’s smile is confident, almost smug. "And you still will."

"Ms. Patricia!" Hedwig calls out. The boy comes running up, panting and Patricia leans down so the boy can whisper something to her.

"Excellent work, Hedwig. I knew I could put my trust in you, you’re such a big boy after all,' Patricia says. Hedwig’s face lights up at her praise. "And there’s no need to whisper. No one will make fun of you or your lisp here, dear."

Hedwig stares up at Dennis who nods in agreement. He would never admit it but he's always had a soft spot for Hedwig, the boy just wanted to play. And he had power and was unafraid to use it whenever he pleases. He had known that Patricia recruited him for that reason but if she'd thought that was going to keep her in the Light for long then she was mistaken. Unless, this Beast of hers was real and the others could see it and finally show some gratitude and respect for the trials people like him and Patricia and even Hedwig had suffered to get them where they are today.

"We must trust each other as no one else will." Patricia gives Dennis a knowing look as she smooths down Hedwig’s curly hair. "I have an offering for you, Dennis. Think of it as a sign of good faith."

"Don’t need it," Dennis says flatly. He’s not a child and doesn’t need coddling or persuasion, only truth which she hasn't showed him yet.

"You will." Patricia's gaze is unwavering, and though he may not believe her when it comes to The Beast he respects her. 

"I should get going," Dennis says.

"It’s problems like these, Dennis, that the rest of the system doesn’t wish to face. Barry and the others will soon have you thrown away and forgotten as well until he needs you again. And maybe then it will be too late for Kevin. The Horde and The Beast will see to it that we no longer have to worry about our safety."

Dennis stiffens, he hadn’t liked the name that Orwell had christened them with, and as always Patricia takes things in stride with her vague words and removed manner. Unlike Barry who Dennis has failed to see eye to eye most of the time, due to the former’s urges. Dennis has been working on it for years, it’s not something he’s proud about and he’s been open about the discomfort and shame it brings him. But it was still apart of him and to have it shunned and not addressed has made it worse. But Barry doesn’t want to take chances with Dennis’ issues, he would rather keep him out of the Light until he was absolutely needed- like now.

"Do you want people to see you as you are?" Patricia says. "To accept you as you are? For Kevin to be safe?"

"You know I do."

"The Beast will see to that."

Dennis steps back. "I have to go."

 

***

 

Dennis comes into consciousness with his right cheek hot and stinging. Another hand comes flying in his vision and he stops it before it can make contact, grabbing the offenders' wrist.

Dennis raises himself to full height and glares down at the woman who realizes she's taken things too far. “Do that again,” he says lowly so that only she can hear him, “and this walkie is going down your throat.”

The woman stutters, flinching back at the sudden change in his voice and posture. “You can’t talk to me like that, I’m a customer. I’ll have you fired!”

' _Dennis_!’ Orwell gasps.

' _Nice_!’ Jade laughs. ' _Even for you._ ’

' _Don’t encourage him_!’ Orwell says.

Dennis is not bothered by the threat; he knows the difference between a strong and weak promise. Everyone knows that Crumb is a hard worker. Clean. Meticulous. Always on time. Not one red mark in his behavioral report so far.

Dennis has never favoured violence when there was an alternate solution, but as the biggest and strongest he was trained for such situations as much as he was to avoid that outcome. “I’d like to see you try to have me fired. I’ll radio the boss over myself.”

He’s irritated that it took Barry this long to allow him the Light. Patricia was right, Barry and the others didn't know what they were doing. They were lucky this time it was a mother armed with nothing but her fist instead of a switchblade or gun.

Two other officers arrive on scene shortly after and everyone claps and whoops as the mother and her daughter are escorted away, their protests drowned by the enthusiasm of their leaving. Dennis stays for damage control and to make sure the park attendees aren't too upset.

He can feel Barry’s relief and exhaustion before the younger man hurriedly pulls away instead of dealing with the ugly aftermath. Dennis feels…freedom. It’s been a long time since he’s had the Light without Barry or someone watching or bleeding into his thoughts.

Dennis rounds the food truck and knocks on the door. Now that the problem was solved the employee can get back to work if they were feeling up to it. If not, Dennis would just shut down the truck for the rest of the evening. A moment passes before the door opens and a head shyly peeks out. He's suddenly staring up at a beautiful young woman. Dennis forgets what he's going to say.

Her big, brown eyes widen before she realizes it's just a park officer and she steps back to let him in. Her hair is dark and long, pulled back into a thick braid that stops mid-back. Her curves are evident even under her green jacket complimenting smooth, brown skin. Her name tag, he notes, says 'Lamb' much to his amusement.

The girl’s shoulders visibly sag as he comes inside and realizes she's not in trouble. "Thanks for backing me up," she says, soft spoken and incredibly sweet to his ears. Dennis hasn't heard a voice directed like that at him in over a decade. "One of the guys got mad and stormed off so the boss went after him.” Lamb goes to the sink and washes her hands before pulling on a fresh pair of gloves. He does the same.

“You okay?” Dennis asks. 

“I’m fine,” she says. Her red eyes and twitching fingers say different but he doesn't comment on it. She gives him a questioning look when he steps around her in the tight space and leans out of the window to take the first order.

"One funnel cake, please."

"One funnel cake," Dennis says over his shoulder with a smirk.

Lamb looks taken aback for a second. She laughs.

 

They go on like this for a while, Dennis helping her dwindle down the customers in line without a problem. Patricia's words play over in his head all the while. Was this her gift? To spend time with this girl. If so, it was cruel. Dennis doesn't want to be a monster or pervert, at least he fights against his dark impulses _not_ to be. He learns that the girl's first name is Grace. Learns about her family and friends and hobbies all in the span of half an hour and isn't bored one bit. It wouldn't be how he'd regularly spend his time in the Light and for that he is thankful.

She's nice. 

She's temptation.

“I actually haven’t gotten the chance to enjoy it, y'know?" Grace says when Dennis asks how she likes the park. "Everything is so fast paced here and most of the time I’m stuck in this truck, it's not what I expected when I landed here two months ago.”

“It will slow down. A little. Eventually." Dennis smirks. "We’re known as one of the best zoos in the entire country.”

"Really? I wouldn't know." Grace laughs and Dennis finds himself leaning closer to be near her.

' _Ask her,_ ' Patricia demands, startling him out of his good mood. So far, Dennis has managed to keep his darker thoughts in check and to keep his gaze away from her curves and his imagination, them being in a closed space surrounded by people all around them hadn't given him a choice to do otherwise.

So Dennis finds himself saying, "how would you like a tour? Tonight?”

Grace looks at him, a slow smile creeping on her face, like a butterfly escaping its cocoon. “What? Seriously?”

Dennis can't take the words away now. Doesn't want to. “Yeah. I can take you on my rounds.”

“You won’t get into trouble or anything?”

“The great thing about being a park officer is that we have free reign and we’re not under much supervision."

Grace looks away thoughtfully, keeps herself busy opening a box of plastic utensils and dumping them in a tin tray. Chucks it in the trash. Goes to open another one. He knows it's a strange request from a strange man she'd just ran into this evening. She appears to shy for a direct approach, not that Dennis would have tried that. He shouldn't be talking to her at all. He knows what he'll end up doing.

"So," he presses, "do you want to?”

 

***

 

The zoo is closing and Dennis watches its attendees depart and then the employees one by one. There’s a group of kids and teens doing the overnight tour but that's on the other side of the park. Soon, he's standing alone in the area, one final announcement that the park is now closed over the speakers. Have a great day. Come again.

Dennis is waiting near the food truck.

Grace exits a building with her boss who'd eventually came back avoiding Dennis' glares which now will work to his favor. 

“I’ll escort her out myself and make sure she’s safe,” Dennis tells her manager. The man doesn't put up an argument with that although and hurries to leave.

Grace bounces on the balls of her feet, grinning excitedly. Her hair is no longer in its braid but flowing freely. Her uniform shirt changed into a thin tee.

“You ready?” he smiles at her.

"Yeah."

Dennis does his rounds while she trails beside him, asking the occasional question but mostly keeping her attention on the mesh trails above.

Grace squeals and rocks back on her heels, lets out a laugh as a gorilla goes by and pauses to stare at him. "Oh, this is too cool! I can actually look up without worrying about bumping into anyone or the sun in my eye or getting cotton candy and soda on my shoes.”

“The enclosures are my favorite part. Especially after hours," Dennis says.

“I can see why. The animals can just...roam around and do what they want. More space than in a glass case.”

She’s so enamored that she doesn’t say anything as Dennis stares at her instead of the gorilla. She doesn’t look at him like an old creep or snap angrily or laugh in his face. But he averts his gaze anyway. He doesn't know why he'd agreed to this, it was stupid and dangerous.

' _You are not stupid_ ,' Patricia says.

“My friends are going to be so mad when I tell them that I got my own private tour. We’re supposed to come on a field trip before graduation but that seems so far away and this is way cooler.” Grace grins.

“Want to see the tigers?”

“Yeah.”

 

“All clear here,” Dennis relays over his walkie when he's finally finished for the day. He waits for a response from an officer at the stationary post before turning the device completely off.

Grace smiles at him again and he  how many of those does he have before he willingly screws this up. “Thank you so much, Mr. Crumb. That was really nice. I needed that.”

“It's nothing. And call me Dennis, please.”

Grace pulls out her cell from her back pocket and sighs. "I should probably get going now before I hold you up any longer."

“You're fine. And I can't allow you to go alone. I..." Dennis hesitates, gaze moving over her body. "I have to make a stop first. Grab some papers to write up my reports and then I can escort you out.”

"Okay."

Dennis takes her to the space Barry and the others have made their own in an old facility. Grace follows without hesitation.

“Doesn’t look like anyone is down here,” she says.

' _Dennis, what are you doing? What are you and Patricia up to?’_ Orwell sounds accusing and panicked. ' _I can’t find Barry. You're making everyone nervous.’_

Dennis doesn’t know what Patricia is up to and it isn’t any of his concern right now. He tunes Orwell out until his mind is as silent as it can be. His heart is pounding so strong he’s convinced his ribs will bruise and crack under duress, because suddenly the ache that's been there all evening as he's watched the girl grows exponentially now that they're truly alone. 

Dennis leads them to what is considered the study room which consists of a round table, a desk, and a bookshelf. Grace looks around curiously, unaware of the turmoil going on inside his head. Not sensing that she's in danger. How easy will it be to undress her and direct her every movement to his whim. Grace saunters over to the bookshelf and Dennis drops all pretense, not even pretending to look for any papers.

That’s when his eyes settle over the contents on the messy desk Barry kept to the left of the room. The man had once written on a note that it was an ' _artist thing so don’t disorganize my shit, Dennis_.’ He sees the bottle of Ketasol Barry had forgotten to give back to the vet earlier this week when assisting with the newborn gorilla and its parents. Like any other officer, Dennis knows how to use it, how to monitor heart rate and vitals when someone is unconscious. Person or animal. But he dismisses the thought, he wants her awake for this.

"Dennis?" he hears her say. "Did you find the papers?" Grace turns around and realizes he's staring at her. 

Dennis walks over to the desk and opens one of the drawers where he keeps a pair of glasses and puts them on. He can feel her growing unease with this situation, made all the more heavier in the complete silence of the facility. With a sigh, he runs a hand through his shaved head. Looks at her once more. "No."

Grace stares at him, tensing at the stiffness of his voice that settles heavy over the room. 

Dennis advances on the girl in a few strides, traps her between the shelf. She unconsciously makes herself smaller while he leers over her. He tells himself that he shouldn't do this but the ease of it overpowers his doubt. Dennis runs his fingers through her thick, soft hair and then down her neck, large hand wrapping around it, thumb caressing against her warm skin.

“Mr. Crumb?” Grace's voice is small and scared and she remains frozen, eyes glancing down as his hand trails lower, between her breasts and down her stomach. "What are you doing?"

Dennis leans forward and kisses her, hums against her soft, unmoving lips. This is bad. He should leave. He should let _her_ leave. Dr. Fletcher wouldn’t like this. He hasn’t had a session with the woman but knows from Barry’s visits that she definitely wouldn’t approve. 

' _Don’t_ ,' Patricia whispers harshly. ' _What’s stopping you, Dennis, from being who you are. What you are. You've nothing to be ashamed of._ ’

Dennis tries to ignore Patricia's voice, and his own battling within him. To continue devouring this young woman's plush mouth. To give her space. But she feels too soft and warm to let go. No one is going to stop him. He runs his knuckles along Grace's inner thigh until her hand clasps his wrist, surprisingly strong.

"Dennis,” Grace breaks the kiss, voice wavering under the persistent press of his lips on her neck. She places her free hand on his chest to nudge him away.

"It's okay," Dennis says, moving closer, cupping her face with his free hand. Tries to be gentle until it's no longer.

"It's not okay."

Dennis loosens her grip on his wrist, grasps her hips. “But it can be. _Grace_.”

He feels her faint shiver as he rubs his hands along her sides. “I- I’ve never…” her face grows warm under his palm and she looks down, her hands wringing together nervously. She wants to leave but she’s contemplating this, and that’s all he needs.

“Never? Not even a little...over the clothes? Do you want to, Grace?” Dennis uses her name in hope to sway her. He _needs_ to. He doesn’t know what will happen otherwise and that scares him, but he’s already decided and he can’t go back. His mind supplies that this is life or death. Fight or flight. Dennis has never ran from a fight in his life, he wasn't supposed to.

Grace averts her eyes, settling on different objects in the room. “Um…I- I don’t know.” She shrugs pitifully, offers a weak, half smile to end her poor argument and tries to move away. He holds her still.

Dennis leans forward and she presses further back against the shelf with nowhere else to go. He nuzzles into her neck and her breath hitches when he places a light kiss there. “It’s okay to be nervous,” he mumbles into her skin. She shivers. “That feel good? Hm?” Dennis kisses the spot again.

Grace hesitates before nodding. She wring her hands together, brushing across his abdomen, attempts to keep some distance between them.

Dennis sucks the soft spot underneath her jaw and she jumps up with a startled moan before settling her hands on his shoulders. Dennis drags her lower half forward, rolls his hips. He has her jacket halfway off when she tries to stop him again but that doesn't deter him. When he does get it off and drops it to the floor what he sees stops him.

Several small welts run in different directions along her arm, a few wrapping around and others spanning down her arm by a few inches. Not deep enough to bleed and not done with something particularly sharp. Self inflicted. Grace snatches her arm out of his grip so forcefully that it hits the shelf. She hisses and glares up at him.

Dennis swallows uncomfortably. They almost look identical to the marks Kevin’s mother would leave on from a folded clothes hangar as a kid. Hiding from her under his bed, the edge of metal scratching and burning his skin from as much she can reach.

“That’s from today. Because of that woman.“

Grace tenses.

"How often do you do that to yourself?"

She remains silent.

"I won't tell anyone," he says softly. "I get it. I do."

"I thought if I focused on something... other than being embarassed I wouldn’t cry in front of her and everyone.” Grace tugs the hem of her sleeves down, eyes watering, a flush on her brown skin. "She goes to my school. She's never liked me."

"It's okay." Dennis says, time it doesn't feel like a lie.

"I should really get home, Mr. Dennis," her voice breaks. "My mom and dad will get worried, I know he's probably called me a dozen times already."

Dennis grasps her forearm, careful of the pressure he applies. He tugs her forward when her face crumbles, when she's at her most vulnerable. Kisses her again, slow and gentle. Eventually, she relaxes under his touches and kisses. Her eyes fluttering shut, breath quickening, little whimpers escaping out her mouth when their tongues meet. He is very aware of the only exit in the room and the ways in which she can leave.

Dennis buries his face into her hair. “You smell so good.” Grace actually huffs a laugh at that and he feels a bit better. He's not going to be lenient for the rest of this.

Dennis clasps her small hands in his, brings them to his shirt so she can unbutton it. She moves too slow for his liking.The warmth of her palm bleeds through his tank top, leaving a trail of heat wherever she pleases. Dennis bends down to kiss her again and makes promises to gain her trust and keep her going. They’re both panting despite not having done anything, as equally breathless from nervousness as arousal.

“Take off your clothes," he says. "All of them.”

Grace’s lips part, right knee jerking as if she’d rather cross her legs than spread them for him, because she hasn't agreed to any of this. “I-”

“ _Grace_ …” Dennis hears the warning in his tone though he didn’t intend for it to come out as such. “Take them off. Or...I can take them off for you. I'd much rather you do it."

Grace hesitates, fighting with herself like he still is. He knows it's wrong but Dennis no longer has patience for any doubt or shyness.

Dennis loosens his belt. Hears the friction of leather sliding against cotton as he slides it out, the clink of metal when he bends it in half. Instead of tossing it, Dennis’ gaze moves to the belt in his hand. He contemplates what Grace had experienced today, about pain being a distraction - almost a barrier or a strength from the ugly world they lived in - ones that allowed bullies and abusive mothers and teens. He realizes he sounds very much like Patricia in a way. And suddenly, things begin to click together in a manner that makes it easier to breathe. Fear could be a stronger feeling than anxiousness and shyness and embarassment. A lesson he knows all to well, had been forced into the light numerous times when Kevin was a boy because of his fear.

' _Fear is good. Pain is good_ ,’ a voice whispers to him. ' _Only in pain can we react. With pain, we can stay safe. Through pain we can become strong.._ ’

Dennis shudders at the strange voice, his grip tightening on the belt, mind  body filled with adrenaline. Pulling away, he grips her forearm and drags her over to the couch despite her protests, pushing her down so she's bending over the armrest.

Grace squirms when the cool leather caresses up her trembling thighs. “Dennis…” there’s a question in her shaky voice but he doesn’t answer it.

The resounding slap of the belt and her surprised yelp sends an immediate dark thrill through him, his cock twitching with renewed interest. “Take o _ff your pants_."

Grace turns her head to stare at him with wide, confused eyes, haven’t expecting that. Dennis tightens his hold on the belt and brings it down again.

" _Now_ ," he demands over her pained cry.

He probably looks feral and that's a good thing as she hurriedly moves to comply, unbuttoning her jeans and sliding them down mid-thighs.

“Don’t be shy,” he whispers, curling his free hand into the waistband, he roughly pulls them down and orders her to step out of them. Dennis kneels down, getting her sneakers off and kicking them to the side along with her pants. Smooths his hand over her bare skin as he stands back up and gropes her ass, snaps the waistband of her panties.

Grace is silent through all of this, the only sound is of their heavy breathing. The room quickly becoming hot and stifle. Dennis rucks up her shirt to reveal more smooth brown skin and he lets out an eager groan, roughly rolling his hips so that Grace’s hands grasp the edge of the arm chair for purchase. She feels incredible underneath him. He's almost twice her age. He shouldn't be doing this.

"Take off your shirt and your bra."

Grace wisely obeys, letting both items fall to the floor before she bends back over the armrest to cover herself. “Good girl.” Dennis bends over her back, moans into her soft, warm skin and kisses her shoulder before straightening back. His thumbs hook into the waistband of her panties and removes those for her in one fluid motion. She flinches and lets out a startled gasp as he lightly taps her bare ass.

When he brings the belt down again she arches her back as she cries out. Dennis holds her down as spanks her four more times in quick succession, each slap sharper than the last until her back is arching and she attempts to move away, a pained sob chocking out of her throat.

"Please, stop," she says. " _Please_. Dennis."

Dennis shushes her and drops the belt beside her. He alleviates the punishment, teasingly rubbing his knuckles against her clit, drags his finger over her, back and forth. "I promise you, it'll feel so much better..." Dennis slips a finger inside, moans at the wet heat that engulfs him. Grace sighs under him, welcoming the relief after the pain, leaning her elbows on the armrest and turning into his embrace as he lowers his weight on her back. “That’s it- you’re being so good for me, Gracie.”

Dennis lowers his head to hears her sobs into the crook of her arm between her little moans, shoulders wracking and breathing heavy. Dennis places a kiss on cheek and adds a second finger, unconsciously rubbing his still clothed erection against her, so rough and just on the edge painful. When her thighs begin to quiver and her breaths become shorter he pulls out of her.

Wrapping his arms around her chest, he forces her to stand, trapping her arms with his grasp, their bodies fully pressed together. Feels the heat from her pert little ass through his pants. Holds her, breath ragged as he continues the steady roll of his hips. "Dance for me." Dennis moves her hips back and forth. She doesn't need to be told twice and he steps back. Palms his erection as he watches her, hands covering her breasts and eyes never meeting his, but she doesn't stop. He thinks he's going to come from this alone, feels the wetness seeping through his uniform pants. Dennis lets out a rough, low, " _fuck_ " and pulls her to him, forcing her back around.

Grace must know what's coming next so she whimpers, muscles tensing as she waits.  _He_ waits until he feels her calm under the gentle caresses down her arms and stomach, the second she relaxes he brings the belt down. Again and again and again. Faster. Harder. Dennis soothes the pain with the gentle touch of his hand before running the cool metal against the welts that will develop.

"You still nervous?"

"No!" Grace quickly shakes her head.

"Good." Dennis drops the belt and moves her to the front of the couch. He shrugs out of the long sleeved uniform and places it on the, he's going to have to purchase a new one anyway. Dennis instructs her to lay on her back.

Grace squeezes her eyes shut, a tear streaks down her cheek and onto the old, green sofa. When she attempts to turn on her side Dennis stops her. "It hurts."

"I know."

Her hand slides around the back of his neck, fingers pleasantly cool against his flushed skin as he settles above her, the other clasping around his forearm. He pushes three fingers into soft, wet heat and she gasps, rocks into it to forget the sting of leather.

Dennis unbuttons his pants, only pushing them down enough to remove his leaking cock. Thumbs the drops of steadily dripping precum and runs it down his length, stroking himself as he continues to pump his fingers in her increasingly wet cunt. Dennis lines them up and removes his fingers, his broad head pushing inside her quickly after. He barely even registers their coupled moans, his only attention on fitting his thick cock fully inside her.

He’s not even half way in when Grace convulses around him. Dennis curses and swipes his tongue over his bottom lip, letting his head fall on the couch with a sigh. He fucks her like that for a few minutes and strokes what won't yet fit inside her, the sensation impossibly good. Nothing should feel this good, this mind numbingly addictive. He wishes he could keep her down here all for himself, that he doesn't have to surrender control over to Barry who will never let him see the Light again after this night. But he's far beyond regretting it.

Maddeningly slow, he pushes his way inside and she takes it all until he's fully in. Dennis curses and closes his eyes, unashamedly groaning at the hot, intense pleasure squeezing around his throbbing cock. Her teeth bites into his skin, her nails dig his lower back almost in retaliation. This wasn’t going to last long.

Dennis grips her hair and pulls back, grinds down, her breasts pressed against his chest. He nudges her legs further apart, can feel her becoming wetter as she opens up a little bit more for him with each shallow thrust, her lips tightening and pulling around him to soothe which only felt more aching with each deepening stroke.

The friction slowly clears the haze that’s turned his mind fuzzy and primal, until he begins to feel in control again. Whatever Patricia had in mind for him to do she's obviously dropped the plan; he's failed. He couldn't find it it in him to care when Grace was well and truly wet then, a pliant, moaning mess beneath him and loving whatever he had to give. He experiments with an angle, rubbing against her clit, whining, damp breath in his ear urging him to go harder.

Dennis kisses her again just because he can, gets more hair than skin but he’s so gone that he doesn’t care, her little mewls and thrusts making his hips stutter. 

" _There_ ," she gasps. "Please."

Dennis moans at her eager voice, the pleasure he's taking from her. Tells her that he's almost there. He's so close. Muscles tensing as he feels the tremors down his spine, liquid warmth pooling between his thighs. Impossibly hot. So close. Grace comes silently, wraps herself around him as he fucks her through it. He pulls out and strokes himself three times to completion, moaning in relief through his own orgasm. His hips rocking lazily into his fist as he empties on her belly. Places sloppy kisses on her chest, leans down on his elbows sweaty and spent. Dennis is both sated and queasy heavy in the pit of his stomach. The fog in his mind has cleared away.

He finds himself sitting in the center chair around the circle of empty ones. It's dark and quiet. And not knowing how he'd gotten there. He doesn't feel alone. 

And then he sees the darkness move and he looks up, up,  as sees how large and intimidating this creature is. Two red gaping wounds blinking rapidly that he realizes to be eyes. Long, sharp talons. A deep rumbling escaping from it's mouth lined with rows of teeth. The creature moves towards him and there's fear there once he knows who this is.

Dennis pushes off the couch and straightens his glasses and… _fuck_.

Overwhelming panic sets in.

Grace stares up at him and sits up, curling into herself. He assesses the situation, her expression closed off but she doesn’t appear to be upset, just exhaustion taking over. There’s a few scratches with little droplets of blood on her stomach and outer thigh, no doubt from his ring of work keys digging into he skin while he was rutting against her like a crazed man.

He feels sick. Frustration. Disgust. Hatred. Guilt.

Freedom.

Joy.

A new sense of purpose.

"Dennis?"

He looks down at her, managing to look even softer and more beautiful after a rough fuck. Her hair messy and lips swollen. Dennis cleans them both up with heavy, distracted limbs. She allows him to kiss her even when wincing in the pain he'd caused her.

Dennis escorts Grace to the gate in silence, still reeling over everything that had happened. The only thing she appears anxious about is getting home with hope that her parents remain ignorant about what she'd just done.

He knows he’s going to get hell for this from Barry and the others. He’ll be spending a lot more time with Patricia and out of the Light. For the first time, the thought doesn't anger him.

 

 

Dennis doesn't stick around and wait for Barry. He's surprised to see Hedwig in his chair, the others around them abandoned. Dennis doesn't say anything to the boy, heads straight to the train yard.

Patricia is patiently waiting for him inside one of the rundown freight cars.

"You set me up," he says  moment he's  close enough. "Somehow you knew that girl...that she was there. Did Hedwig tell you? Why?"

"Dennis-"

"You know I wouldn't have been able to stop myself. You know what I _am_." a freak. A pervert. A monster.

"Dennis..."

Dennis paces. "I can't believe I did that."

" _Dennis_ ," Patricia's voice is loud and firm. "There's nothing to be ashamed of anymore."

He stops. "I saw him. The Beast. Because of her."

"I would say I came across her by mistake and learned of her ways of coping, how it only reaffirmed my own beliefs. But I don't believe in mistakes and being lucky, Dennis. And I know that you don't either."

"What did I see back there? How-"

"He has unimaginable powers, you've just a small taste. He's getting stronger everyday. He's on the move, and when He arrives no one will stop us." Patricia smiles. 

"I think I hurt her."

"She is _sacred_ , Dennis. You helped her set herself  _free_. We are not blind monsters lost in the past, _we are the future_. It's what I've been saying all this time."

"He's real..." Dennis says in awe. 

Patricia nods, a dangerous glint in her eyes. "Yes. The Beast is real. And we have work to do before He arrives."

 


End file.
